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BOOK REVIEW: The Color of the Soul
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Click cover to purchase book
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by: Laura V. Hilton Dancing Word Reviewer
Title: The Color of The Soul Author: Tracey Bateman Publisher: Barbour Publishing ISBN: 1-59310-444-8 Genre: Inspirational/Historical/Fiction
Sometimes knowledge is freedom, and sometimes it’s nothing but a chain around your neck.” –From The Color of the Soul
An old woman on her death bed, C. Penbrook, decides to tell her story to a young writer. But not any writer will do. She summons Andy Carmichael from Chicago to Georgia to write her memoirs. Andy believes this story will make his career. After all, Miss Penbrook is the well-respected owner of a large plantation that survived, and even thrived after the Civil War.
Life in 1948 Georgia is not the same as life in Chicago for a black man. Within moments of his arrival in Georgia, Andy’s life is threatened. The Klan knows he’s there, and an uppity black man, a yankee, is not to be tolerated. Andy begins to wonder why this Miss Penbrook summoned him—especially when it becomes clear that not only is his life in danger, but also the black family that agreed to house him.
Andy is determined to write Miss Penbrook’s story though, and as it comes out some surprising things surface. Miss Penbrook is someone Andy needs to know—and even though his life may be in danger, Miss Penbrook holds the key that could save him…
I didn’t think I would like The Color of the Soul at first. Judging by the cover (which one should never do) and the back cover copy, I didn’t think it would be too interesting. And as the book opened, it was difficult to read the first several pages. But as the story progressed, I became enthralled, and I had to keep reading to find out what would happen.
I began to care about Miss Penbrook as she told the story of her life, both through in person to Andy, and as he read over her diaries. Andy took a bit more time to warm up to, as he was a man that struggled in some areas, but his struggles are real, and in time I even cared about him and his decisions.
I highly recommend The Color of the Soul and can’t wait to read the second book in The Penbrook Diaries series. Tracey Bateman did a stellar job on this series—and even though I loved her mom lits, I think this could be her best work. Tracey is truly a talented author. $12.95. 315 pages.
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